Lubricator



Aug. 9, 1927.

H. M. LUDWICK LUBRICATOR Filed June 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 9, 1927.

, H. M. LUDWICK LUBRICATOR Filed June 2, 1923 4 sheets-sheet 2 Aug 9 71927' H. M. -LUDWICK LUBRICATOR Filed June 2, 192:5 4 sheets-sheet 3 l fw w mwN@ , lf.. NHA Y www NNNGNA www lnmentnrz/ f Mawr/www0@ m Aug.9, 1927.

H. M. I UDWICK LUBRICATOR` `Filed. June 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented ug. 9, 1927e UNir-FE star-ss ser ai vvyestes f HARLAN ivi. LUDWICK, -or PARKESBURG, PENNsYLvANiA. V

` V LUBBICATOR. i

i AApplication filed June 2,

` lar bearings, `so as to avoid; waste v0 1? the lubricant. y

As yhereinafter Y described, my invention includes a lubricator Vcomprising a .casing inclosinga grease vchamber and havinga port leading from said chamber into a manifold with which a series of grease conduits are connected lso as to dispense the grease fromV said chamber to a plurality of bearings; a piston being fittedfor axial reciprocation' in said casing, in engagementwitli va screw shaft; means being arranged to prevent rotation of said piston when said screw shaft is rotated; whereby such rotation ax- .ially shifts said piston.v Although saidV piston is thus common to a plurality of conduits leading to bearings requiring respectively diferent quantities of grease tolubricate them properly; such selective and differential -distribution of the grease Vis controlled and effected by adjustment of valves in the respective conduits.

In the form ofV my invention described .in said copendingapplication; the screw shaft is journaled in a. shallow vcover for said casing which is detachably connected therewith by a screw thread. In accordance with my present invention' an extensive cylindrical loading barrel is'substituted'foi1 said shallow cover. In said copending application, said'shaft carries a grease container which is rotatableA upon' but removable by said lshaft with said cover. In .the form of my invention hereinafter described, `the grease container is entirely independ- Y ent of the screw shaft. In said copending application; the means for preventing rota.-

tion of the piston, to compel it to Y. shift axially in ther grease chamber when the screw shaft withpwhich it is engaged is rotated; includes a rod which is .fixed at one p' end inthe container, carried by said screw shaft, but said rod has its opposite end free.

As it is necessary to retain said rod substantially parallel with the axis of thescrew 1923. seriai ANo. 643,059.

shaft; andthe'operationk of the latter tends to turnY thev piston andv twist saidy rod out Vo f such parallel relation; my present invention includes means to support the rod at i maiis both ends soas toy .insure that it Vshall not, i be accidentally displaced. In the form of my f invention show nV in said copeiiding appli,- koat-ion; theV piston remains continuously in engagement'w'ith the screw shaft when the partsvof the. apparatus are assembled in co.-

operative relation. It was fouiid in practice 1 that unskilled workmen sometimes turned the screw shaft insiich a lubricator after the pistn had reached the end of the grease chamber and withthe result of jaming and damagingV the screw threads of vboth vthe 1 shaft and piston. Therefore, my present invention includes means toy effect the dis-v engagement of the piston from the screw shaft when the pistonk reaches the predetermined limit ofits movement in the grease chamber, incident to lrotation of the screw shaft in one direction, and to automatically reengage the piston with the screw shaft thread when the screw shaft is turned in a reverse direction; such means including a spring arranged to thrust the piston axially" toward thecentei of the grease chamber. My

invention also includes other novel featuresl of 4construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitelyv specified; for instance, a

grease container which serves as a cartride for grease to be supplied to said chamber may be combined withthe guide rodv support aforesaid. Said copending application vdescribes means for manifesting the extent -of the axial movementof the piston and including an indicating nut arranged to traverse a screw thread on said screw shaft,

exterior tothe casing, and having apointer radially projectingthrough a slot in a scale plate fixed upon said cover. y,My present inventionincludes a modification-fl ofsuch indicating Vmeans in that the pointer element is perforated and` a. gauge bar, provided with a scale or scalesof graduations, extends r` 1 thronghvit, parallel with the screw shaft, and in addition to that means for manifesting Vthe extent of the axial' movement ofthe piston, in terms of grease displaced from the chamber; I provide the screw shaft with aV radialindex pointer in cooperative.

'110 quantity of grease dis-v A n `iz'nportant A feature of the-present form of myY invention isthe inclusion therein of airvents from each endlof the grease chain-Y ber controlled -ioycoels Sovas; to permit said j chamber toY be entirelyhfilled'with grease without vtrapping air therein and alsaperf' Initithe ready insertion and-removal of the grease container; Vsaid vents permitting 'the' escape of air under pressure when the grease 4is inserted, andxperniitting the influx of air 'tofrel'i'eve fthe, partiel '.vacuu'in which would container.A v

otherwise ybe. formedbyfwithdrawal of Said My inventioniincludes the various l novel 'features #of Y constructionv and arrangement Y Vhereinafter Vmore definitelyI 's peciiied;

In `said drawings;FiggIiis a planV view Y off av lnbricator ennhodyingfrn'y` invention', in

metalteniporary lCap for the combina-tionI Vguide platefandv grease container shown in'.`

section Vin Fig. III.,V Y VV "Figiv is anrefndY view 'of saldi combina-V tion guide platejand grease container shown Y in Vsection inFigqIIL'rwith said temporary Q against said standard 2. y Said' guide plate* capr itted' thereon.l Q

` vis a fragmentary longitudinal, A y y A a spot/39 ofs'aid shaft" 31' andV projecting 'radially from said 'abutment 3 G .a nd coin pr is sectional view, similar 15o-Fig, 11.1,.but'sho'w- 4Ainga simplified' forni ofA my invention.

In said'Figs. I torV inclusive, the luhri- "ea'tor base 1 is provided with the standard 2Y forming the right-hand end of the lnbri cator casing 3 whichis acylindrical tubular extension from said standard-2, overhanging saidrbaserl Vandforinilvlgfa socket Ll'with' an internal' screw thread at the'end of said extension.A The guide plate 7,'shown in Figs.V III and* V, 1s an annulus; having a circular.-

per'imetr and is'ffitted Yin@l SaidV socket.l 4

has' va"b eari`ng 8 adapted to: detacliably hold l the.- guid'ef'rod 9. The grease container 10 A is cylindrical tube carried by said'guide' "'pl`at`e Tand may `be conveniently,

' itsl saidf cylindrical tubular portion and" ca'rf 1r' s said guide rod 9'which hasits outer'endy formed in unitary relation' therewith. 'I n I i The-'loadingr'harrel'12lis cup shaped and hasthe cylindrical" tubular portion 13j adapt` ed" to riitwithin sar-id' socket 4, exterior. tok said lcontainer10,and against said Aplate 7,* tol holdf'the latter'in the position shown'i'n' Fig.

III; v*said 'barrel lhavingxthe externalscrew Y threadr fittedt tothe thread 5 in'said casingextension 3. Said loadingy vbarrel 12 has the Yend closure'-17 ',-i'n unitaryV relation with [rigidlysecured' in'said closure, conveniently hythe nut 18 engaging'the reduced: outer end 19 of said rod 9. f

SaidlcloSurevUhas' the axial bearingiQl,"

inV ooneentrio relation with saidv socket 4 andscrew thread 5,.and has "thel circular i series ot'gra dn'ations,"23,Y ingconeentric rela' tion Vwith saidvbearing 21.l Y n gaugejbar 25 extends exterior to said loading''barrel 412 parallel WiththeA axis of i ber 28 Vin Said Qasing3, and',is'rigidlyV connected with said closure 17Vjconyenient1lyshy i 'Ineans'ofj its end'screw "threadI "The rotaryserew shaft 311 extends; throngh 'said axial bearing 2l infsaid; closure 1"'r in which it is journaled" for* rot;rtion,'.and has two screw threads 32 and 34'of'respeetively different-pitch, coriveniently-l twelve c'` and "fortyeight threads per inch,respectively*extending *thinV `said "container 10 and exterior to ,side of'saifdfelosureV 1171"y The',circular-*collar Vsaid closure; 17. The circular colla-n35, y V'which' 'le conveniently reinotably'Y'` mounted i on saidfscrew shaft 31 forms; an axiallyista-y ytionaryL 'abutment -on saidfsha'tt, atfthe inner aio vwhiehis vconizeniently intei"nal screw` Y y vthreadedftoV ift the `thread B4 on Yscrew y vvith niea'iis det-ach'- ably'securing it on said shaft; including the set screw 38r extending in' the recessedV ingan index lpointeigin cooperative relation l tu) "with, said eircularfseries of graduations- .The indicator nut/10, which 1s fitted to ,A

traverse A:said exterior Screw'threadY 34 on Screw shaft 31"carriesthe gauge plate,

41"'havingthe"opening 42* through 'which Said gauge bar '25, extends; whereby, rota tion ofsaid screw' shaftg31jcauses said in,-

dicator` nut f iLOto move Aaxially 'onsaidshaft i 110 31', screw thread-34,and shift the position rigidly connected with the outerend ofsaid "ofsaifdY 'gauge plate. l1 jwith reference to,A said gauge bar Qtrarid-the graduatlons of the y shaftfor that' purpose;V Thep 'ton 46, conr- Y prising a diaphragm 1nn saldi' greaseyrchanlilerj28, is tted for axial movement in said' 31 'as a. nut, and .has the slide?bearifngl?V through .which said g lguide Trod `9r extends; whereby saidv piston yis prevented from rotatf` ing. `The cup leather 505 is carriedhyysaifdf rpistonrt, witl'iin saidj container l10,]"a1'1'd` is presented in contactlivit-h the inner surface' of theflatter by the' followplate51E which said piston and conveniently 'adjustablyf connested with the 'diaphragm of "said piston y bythe three'screw's 54.

` ,Inv order to permit said chamber 2S vto be entirely filled withgrease without trapping a-ir therein and also Vto Vpermit the ready inf sertion and removal of said grease container pendently Vopened and closed. vIt -is tol be Yunderstood that said vents permit the escapeof air underpressure when the grease 61 inserted and permit vthe iniiux of air to` l relieve the partial vacuum which would fopen; said loadingbarrel 12 may be un-V otherwise be'formedby withdrawal of said centainer V10. I V- A' As shownin ldig;A HI; said greasechamf ber 28 infthe 'lubricatr casing 3V,v has single lubricantcdisc'hargeport 63 inthe verti-r vcal standard 2 cfV said casing 3, and Vl nd it convenient to Vdispense lubricant from that `singleA port, torafplurality of bearings,fby

connecting that port, byv the coupling 64, with the manifold `65 from'which' conduits 66, respectively controlled by valves 67,-eX tend to respective bearings 68.' -filthoughl have shown twelve fsuch-V conduits, in Figs. I and Il, it is to bev understoodthat a greater kor less number may be connected with'a single lubricator andv supplied with V,lubricant bythe movement o'f ay single Vv'piston 46 Vas above described. Although said piston 46is thus common to aplurality of said conduits 66,'leadin'g-to bea-rings 68 requiring respec# tively different quantities `of lubricant; such selective and differential distribution'of'the lubricant as is required may be effected by adjustment of'said'valves 67 inthe respective conduit-s. y

Said lubricator may be conveniently oper? ated as follows: Said vent cock` 59 'being screwed, so as to disenga'ge its threads 15 from the threads 5 in said casing 3, and removed thus releasingi the vlubricant container 10, which hasmbeenheld in the socket 4 insaid casing 3in' the position shown in Fig. III, by the tubular extension 13 of said loading barrel. Thereupon, said container may be withdrawn from the soclret 4 and be provided with the temporary cap shown in Fig. IV, as shown in Fig. V; said cap 70 being temporarilyV held in engagement with said guideplate 7, by the respective cap clips 71 which resiliently engage said plate. Said capA 70 has the small perforation 72, conveniently at its axis, to permit escape of air as said container 10 is belng charged with grease 61 or other lubr1- Y cant which may be thrust into the open end of said containerplO. kW'hen said container 10 is filledysaid temporary cap 'Z0-may be removed, conveniently *by means of 'itshan-y die 73, and the containeriO. with itsl guide; plate -7 replaced inthe soclret4 inV said case ing 3 against said standard 2, -as shown in FiglII. Thereupon, said ventcock 60, in said loading barrel, being opemsaid barrel may be replaced inV screw threaded connec tion withsaid lubricator casing 3, in the po-V sition Ishown in Figll. `rllhereiupon, both of Vsaid cocks 59 andf60 may vbe closed and said piston 46 be axially.r shiftedingsaid `grease chamber 28 to supplygrease through said conduits to said bearings- 63, by rotating said screw shaft 31 by its hand wheel 45;

the axial displacement of said'piston beingy indicated by thetraverse of -saidfindicator 'y gauge plate 41 withl reference to the gauge" bar 25 and the graduations 26 thereon,iwhichu latter may manifest such displacement in'' volumetric measurementsof the-grease dis@ Y pensed. During such rotation of said sc revvr shaft 31, said pointer E8-traverses the circular series of graduations'23 thus-indicating fractions of a rotationof said! shaft to i? enable thefoperator to effect such manipulation precisely and to permit of a record being made as to the preciseY amount of'rotation of said shaft 31 required-fora given unit of time of lubrication. f" l' l V Such operation of said ishaftniay be continued until said piston46 has'reachedthe limit of lits movement;v determined bywthe axial length of the screwv thread" 32, and

said piston is thus relievedv from axial pressure of said screw by after rotation ofisaid shaft inA the -samefdirection However, in order to r-eengagesaidpiston 46 withsaid screwvthread 32; I provide said pistonfhub 52 with a spring 74 encircling'said screw shaft 31 `and adapted' to encounter said standard 2, against which' itxiscompressed when Isaid piston is in the releasedposition, at the inner lendof said shaftL 31," where it is upheld by the smoothly cylindricalsuppnrt which is conveniently formed as part of said screw shaft 31,"but kwhich may be cen`V nected with said casingfstandard- 2. Of

course, said spring-74 isthus varranged to y thrust said piston 46 axially in said'lchamber 28 toward thecenter thereof;:so thatupon reverse rotation of said screw shaft 31, it is reeng'aged with said pist-on 46 vso'that Y the latter may be axially Ishifted in the re- Averse direction, toward the left in Fig. lll,

to the initial position which it occupieswhen said chamber 28 is entirely filled with lubricant 61.

Of course, if said screw shaft 31 be rotated in the direction to thrust said piston 46 toward the right in .F ig. III, after said pisf thread 34 on ,said shaft; V'Such meansl in -A c'lud'es'the spring: 76,. carried. by said handV V#wheel 45` and arranged to'g beicompressed against said .-nut. 4()Vv when said. Ynut reaches.

the: outer end off'sa'id screw,Ith'r'eaid 34;'. inV

" allel Lwith said screw shaft;wl1ereby rotag- Y K i axiallyl shifts saidY whichY position said nut nisi upheld?,r bythe smoothly lcylindrical ysupport". 78, 'which'fis conveniently formed onisaid screw-*shaft 3l.

The irevlerse'frotation of said screw shaftv 3l' isi. thus effectiveto'` automatically reengage said nut; 4 0 with its'` thread 34; simultanecus-A v fly' with the reengagement' of'saidpiston LGI f `with' its thread V232 on saidsh-aft. y ,Figi VI shows asimpliedfform of my in- I ventiondifl`ering from that above described',

' L tha-'tithe guide plate 7 for thel rod 9 isfnol provided With.-A argrease ,conta-incr l0, In Y order yto-prevent:rotary displacement of said guideplates 7 I'iind it convenient to pro-- vide. them with pins'SO for engagement with #corresponding-pin holes in lthe :endy ot'the loading barrels, Infthat simpleform of nryihvention shown in FigfVl, the loading.;

:barrel is, ofcourse,Y unscrewed-from lthe cas'4 Vlng* 3 when 1t 1srdes11te'd` tochargethe chamber 28'with greasef and I'a-lso'fi'nd it convenient'toremove theguide platev 7 for that purpose although it. isf unnecessary to kdo so as said plateghas a vlarge opening through ielagindicatedlm Fig. v. n my 'also be; 35

observedjthatrtheFvent 57, and cock 60 are omittedy from said simplifiedpform of my ventionf, for the resontha-t'the loadingfbarf relqmay be charged with:y lubricant, as above d'escribed,. withoutVv such vent, and `vvalve,

which are, however, necessaryy when theflu-` brcantY is; introduced to rthe loading barrel' in, the container 10 shownv inl Fig/III'.`

Therefore, l` do not desire to. limit/myselfto Ythe `precise.v details 'oat vconstructionandA an;

l rangement: hereinset Vfort-h, as it is obvious that various'fmodificat-ions: may be made therein, without 'departing'from' the essen In a'lubrlcatonthe combination lwith-al casinginclosingaggpeasechamber;oa pia-1 `i *Y i tonv fittedA for' axialvlreciprocationf in vsaid; chamber; a screw lshaft .engaging /saidffp'isf rotated, including av guidel rod,V extendingV through saidpiston- ;'a;removab1e gude platejftted in saidAA chamberagainstthe end of said casinggandholding said gude,rod,Apav-' 60 casing inclosing a, grease chamber; of a .'pisf 6&5"

ton fittedr for axial reciproca'tionqin Said` l .chamber a screw. shaft-.engaging said pistony Y, Y as a nut; means arranged to prevent rotationE i ofsaid pistonjwhen said/screw 'shaftjis/ ro-` tated,.yincludingja guide1rodengagingsaid 7 0 i -plstongea removable guide plate ittedsaid,

chamber,against 'the end of said casil'lgand holding saidfguide, rod, ',panallellwithffsaid i screw sliaftwvhereby rotationiof said'screw shaftaxially shifts said-piston inrsaidcha'mf'l Y ber. A

o 3. Ini lubrica'tor-,fthe'combination-with-a casing; of apston fitted `for axial reciprocaA tioninv-said,chamber ;k afscrew shaft engaging Y saidfpiston` as a nut; means` arranged.; tta-pre;- 80, vent v lrotatlon of saldl piston,e inclndmga l guide rod, engaging saldfplston.; a removable guide'plate i'ttedginsaidl chamber, and

chamber. s n

o Q In a' lubricator, v5com.bination vventv `rotation oi'fsaid piston, when I saidv screw, Vshaft.y is frotated, einclud1ng a' guide rod, en v gaging said'piston; a removablev guide 'plitl fitted *inv Y said casing; 'and`l holding'y sa-idfv guide 95 rodywherebyrotation'ofsaidiscrew:shaft Y axially, V'shifts saidv piston jin said chamber.. Y, "In testimony? whereof, I haveV hereuntof .Signed lnyfna-me 'at Parkesburggy Pennsyl.` i, y Vania this '245th 'dey -O-f 1 Mey,- 1923.:y

1 I HABLAN-fn. 

